This present invention relates to magnetic stripe readers (MSRs) and more specifically to a tamper detection system and method.
Unauthorized reading of card data, such as data encoded on a magnetic stripe card, while the card is being used (hereafter “card skimming”), is a known type of fraud. Card skimming is typically perpetrated by adding a magnetic read head to a fascia of an automated teller machine (ATM), fuel pump, or other terminal, to read a magnetic stripe on a customer's card as the customer inserts or (more commonly) retrieves the card from a card reader. The fraudster can then create a new card using the card data read by the alien reader.
If the card is a credit card, the fraudster can begin charging purchases to the customer's credit card account. In the case of debit cards, the fraudster must have the customer's personal identification number (PIN). Several techniques may be used by fraudsters to obtain personal identification numbers (PINs) in order to gain access to customer accounts. Fraudsters can use cameras to capture images of a PIN-entry keypad during customer use. Fraudsters can employ a false overlay to the PIN-entry keypad to record entry of the PIN as it is typed. Finally, fraudsters may watch customers (“shoulder surfing”) as the customers enter their PINs. A fraudster can then use the new card and the PIN to withdraw funds from the customer's bank account.
Some installations use preventive measures, such as capacitive sensing devices to detect skimmers. However, capacitive sensing devices are affected by the presence of rain drops and the human hand.
Therefore, a more robust and reliable technique is needed to detect the presence of non-native hardware in the vicinity of a card reader or other device subject to tampering.